Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri ( ur, ; born 19 February 1951) is a
Pakistani–Canadian Islamic scholar and former politician who founded
Minhaj-ul-Quran International
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
and
Pakistan Awami Tehreek
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek commonly known as PAT ( ur, پاکستان عوامی تحريک) (''Pakistan People's Movement'') is a political party in Pakistan, founded by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, took part in general elections in 1990 and 2002. ...
.
He was also a professor of international
constitutional law
Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a State (polity), state, namely, the executive (government), executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as th ...
at the
University of the Punjab
The University of the Punjab (Urdu, pnb, ), also referred to as Punjab University, is a public, research, coeducational higher education institution located in Lahore, Pakistan. Punjab University is the oldest public university in Pakistan. ...
. Qadri is also the founding chairman of various sub-organisations of Minhaj-ul-Quran International. He has been included in all editions for the rankings of ''
The 500 Most Influential Muslims
''The 500 Most Influential Muslims'' (also known as ''The Muslim 500'') is an annual publication first published in 2009, which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world.
The publication is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies C ...
'' since its first edition in 2009.
Early years
Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri was born on 19 February 1951 in the
Jhang District
Jhang District ( Punjabi and ur, ) is a district of Faisalabad division in the Punjab province, Pakistan. Jhang city is the capital of district.
Geography
Jhang District has a triangle-like shape, with its apex at the narrow southwestern cor ...
of Pakistan.
He received non-religious and Islamic Education at a young age. He is the student of
Tahir Allauddin Al-Qadri Al-Gillani
Tahir Allauddin Al-Gillani (السيد طاهر علاؤ الدين الجيلاني البغدادي) (11 July 1932 – 7 June 1991) formally referred to as His Holiness, Qudwatul Awliya Naqeeb ul Ashraaf Hazoor Pir Syedna Tahir Allauddin alGi ...
.
He also received a First Class degree, an MA in Islamic Studies and a PhD in Islamic Law from the
University of Punjab
The University of the Punjab (Urdu, pnb, ), also referred to as Punjab University, is a public, research, coeducational higher education institution located in Lahore, Pakistan. Punjab University is the oldest public university in Pakistan. ...
where he worked as a lecturer and then as Professor of Law.
Minhaj-ul-Quran
The organisation, Minhaj-ul-Quran International which he founded on 17 October 1980, currently has its branches in over hundred countries.
The organisation claims to promote religious moderation, effective and sound education, inter-faith dialogue and harmony, and a moderate interpretation of Islam supposedly employing methods of Sufism. During its March 2011 session, the
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; french: links=no, Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, ) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields ...
granted special
consultative status
The consultative status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Soc ...
to
Minhaj-ul-Quran International
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
.
Political career
He founded
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in May 1989. He contested elections in 1990 where he was elected as a Member of the National Assembly. On 29 November 2004, Qadri announced his resignation as a Member of the National Assembly protesting the dictatorial counter terrorism policies of the then President
Pervez Musharraf
General Pervez Musharraf ( ur, , Parvez Muśharraf; born 11 August 1943) is a former Pakistani politician and four-star general of the Pakistan Army who became the tenth president of Pakistan after the successful military takeover of the ...
. In 2005 he moved to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
Long March 2012
In December 2012, after living for seven years in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada, Qadri returned to Pakistan and initiated a political campaign. Qadri called for a "million-men" march in Islamabad to protest against the government's corruption. He demand the creation of an independent body to conduct electoral reforms that would pave way for free and fair elections, and said that if the constitutional requirements were not fulfilled then he would reject the upcoming elections. On 14 January 2013, a crowd marched down the city's main avenue. Thousands of people pledged to sit-in until their demands were met. When he started the long march from Lahore about 50,000 people were with him.
[
] He told the rally in front of parliament: "There is no Parliament; there is a group of looters, thieves and dacoits
andits... Our lawmakers are the lawbreakers."
[
] After four days of sit-in, the Government and Qadri signed an agreement called the Islamabad Long March Declaration, which promised electoral reforms and increased political transparency.
[
]
Critics have charged that the protests were a ploy by the
Pakistan Armed Forces
The Pakistan Armed Forces (; ) are the military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's sixth-largest military measured by active military personnel and consist of three formally uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are ...
to delay elections and weaken the influence of the civilian government, citing Qadri's close ties to the military, dual nationality and suspect foreign and Pakistani sources of funding. Lawyers for the
Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court of Pakistan ( ur, ; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Established in accordance to thePart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it has ultimate a ...
claimed that Qadri's demands are unfeasible because they conflict with the
Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's Pakistani political parties, opposition ...
. ''The Tribune'' reported on 17 February 2013, that Qadri seemed to have capitulated on most of his demands in the Islamabad Long March Declaration.
[
]
Long March 2014
On 17 June 2014, a violent clash occurred between the Punjab Police and
Pakistan Awami Tehreek
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek commonly known as PAT ( ur, پاکستان عوامی تحريک) (''Pakistan People's Movement'') is a political party in Pakistan, founded by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, took part in general elections in 1990 and 2002. ...
activists resulting in the deaths of several protesters from police gunfire. Tahir-ul-Qadri said the police refused to log a
First Information Report
__NOTOC__
A first information report (FIR) is a document prepared by police organisations in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan when they receive information about the commissio ...
. The Baqir Najfi inquiry found that police actively participated in the
massacre
A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...
to remove barriers that were installed on orders of the High Court.
Tahir-ul-Qadri's flight was due to land at Islamabad airport however the Pakistani authorities refused landing permission and the plane was diverted to Lahore airport. Tahir-ul-Qadri believed he would be harmed by the Punjab government and was personally escorted by the convoy of
Governor of Punjab to his residence in Model Town, Lahore.
As of the end of September 2014, the Inqilab March began, with sit-in protests with allied partner
Imran Khan
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...
, chairman and founder of
Tehreek-e-Insaaf
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI; ur, , ) is a political party in Pakistan. It was founded in 1996 by Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The PTI is one of the thre ...
(PTI) and organiser of 2014 Azadi March, in the capital of Pakistan,
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
.
["'Revolution March' to Begin on August 14: Tahirul Qadri"]
, ''The News International'', 10 August 2014.
Imran Khan
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...
and Tahir-ul-Qadri did not fully join their protest marches nor decline to support each other.
On 10 August 2014, Qadri formally announced that his party's political march, the Inqilab March, would proceed parallel with PTI's Azadi march. Both marches were organised to take different routes, albeit closely mirroring each other. It is apparent that the two parties have similar objectives yet different aims and strategies. The announcement of two parallel marches by parties in opposition gave rise to speculation that a coalition between PTI and PAT was possible. The chiefs of the two parties never clearly stipulated a formal coalition; but an informal agreement to support each other was achieved.
[
]
On 21 August 2014, Qadri said that the government had not been allowing his workers to supply food items and potable water to the participants of the sit-in.
The ''Daily Dawn'' of 31 August 2014 claimed that hundreds of people were injured in the federal capital as police battled throngs of protesters led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.
Then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif
General Raheel Sharif (Urdu: ; born 16 June 1956), is a retired four-star army general of the Pakistan Army who served as the 9th Chief of Army Staff from 29 November 2013 to 29 November 2016. After his retirement as Pakistan's army chief, he ...
to act as a mediator. General Raheel Sharif met with Tahir-ul-Qadri and Imran Khan to end the sit-in. It was due to the intervention of General Raheel Sharif that the
police report
In legal terminology, a complaint is any formal legal document that sets out the facts and legal reasons (see: cause of action) that the filing party or parties (the plaintiff(s)) believes are sufficient to support a claim against the party ...
was logged. Tahir-ul-Qadri congratuled his supporters in their struggle for justice.
It was reported that Tahir-ul-Qadri led the Eid prayer at Islamabad's
D-Chowk. The congregation was attended by
Imran Khan
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...
and other political leaders, including Raja Nasir Abbas Jafary of
MWM. Animal sacrifies were also offered in the name of
Allah
Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", an ...
following the
Sunnah
In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
of
Prophet Ibrahim
, "Friend By God")
, image = Ibrahim (Abraham)1.png
, image_size =
, alt =
, caption = The name ''ʾIbrāhīm'' written in Islamic calligraphy, followed by "Peace be upon him".
, birth_name ...
and his son
Prophet Ismail.
Events
Anti-Terrorism Camp
In August 2010, Qadri held an anti-terrorism camp for Muslim youth at the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
with the aim of tackling extremism in the UK. He organised the camp under the auspices of
Minhaj-ul-Quran UK
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
.
World Economic Forum
![Muhammad Tahir-Ul-Qadri - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Muhammad_Tahir-Ul-Qadri_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_2011.jpg)
In 2011, he spoke at the
WEF
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental organization, international non-governmental and Lobbying organization, lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 197 ...
that took place in Davos, Switzerland.
Lahore Public Gathering 2014
Seven days after the Faisalabad Gathering, Qadri made a public gathering in Lahore on 19 October 2014.
Lahore Clash 2014
The 2014 Lahore Clash,
more commonly known as the Model Town Tragedy ( ur, سانحہ ماڈل ٹاؤن) or the Lahore massacre,
was a violent clash that ensued between the
Punjab Police and
Pakistan Awami Tehreek
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek commonly known as PAT ( ur, پاکستان عوامی تحريک) (''Pakistan People's Movement'') is a political party in Pakistan, founded by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, took part in general elections in 1990 and 2002. ...
activists on 17 June 2014 resulting in several protesters being killed by the police gunfire. Five police officers remain under arrest.
The standoff lasted for almost 11 hours when the police's anti-encroachment squad launched an operation to remove the barriers from the road leading to the offices of
Minhaj-ul-Quran
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
and the residence of PAT founder Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in
Model Town, Lahore
Model Town Society ( Punjabi, ur, ) is a gated neighbourhood in Gulberg, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
History
Model Town, established in 1921, is a fruition of Dewan Khem Chand's lifelong dream to see the establishment of what he called “ ...
. Although, police officials were given a court order by PAT leaders, stating "due to terrorism issues, place security barriers in front of
Minhaj-ul-Quran
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
and the residence of PAT founder Qadri", but the police still attacked.
The incident was broadcast live on various local news channels
[
] and there were conflicting accounts of how the standoff began.
[
] Police claimed that they were attacked by people inside the PAT secretariat, a claim that is denied by party chief Qadri. In the live footage broadcast on television, the policemen were shown firing assault rifles and lobbing tear gas canisters at the protesting masses while the protesters threw stones at the police for defence.
Qadri strongly condemned the attack and called it the worst form of
state terrorism
State terrorism refers to acts of terrorism which a state conducts against another state or against its own citizens.Martin, 2006: p. 111.
Definition
There is neither an academic nor an international legal consensus regarding the proper def ...
. Qadri vowed to avenge the deaths of his political workers by bringing about a revolution that would hasten the end of the rule of prime minister
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime ...
and his brother
Shahbaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi: , ; born 23 September 1951) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who is currently serving as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan, in office since 11 April 2022. He is the current president o ...
.
The Day of Martyrs
Qadri and his party observed Youm-e-Shuhada (Day of Martyrs) at 9 August 2014 in Tehreek-e-Minhaj ul Quran secretariat in Model Town. A Country-Wide clash occurred between Police and the Workers of PAT. After the gathering of People, He assured his supporters and the government that the rally on 10 August would be peaceful while requesting his followers to bring their prayer mats for recitation of the Quran.
Other Events
He has been invited to deliver his lectures by several organisations.
[
]
In July 2011, he gave a lecture on the issues of terrorism and integration at the
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales is a bicameral legislature in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), consisting of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the New South Wales Legislative Council (upper house). Eac ...
in Sydney, Australia where he was invited by the member of the
NSW Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...
, Shaoquett Moselmane MLC. Qadri also made appearances on Australian media, where he discussed Islam, terrorism and possible troop withdrawals from Afghanistan. On 24 September 2011, Minhaj-ul-Quran convened the "Peace for Humanity Conference" at
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena (originally the Empire Pool, now known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, England, used for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport. The 12,500-sea ...
in London where Tahir-ul-Qadri and the assembled speakers issued a
declaration
Declaration may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Declaration'' (book), a self-published electronic pamphlet by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri
* ''The Declaration'' (novel), a 2008 children's novel by Gemma Malley
Music ...
of peace on behalf of religious representatives of several faiths, scholars, politicians, and 12,000 participants present from various countries. This conference was endorsed by, or received supportive messages from, the Grand Imam of
Al-Azhar University
, image = جامعة_الأزهر_بالقاهرة.jpg
, image_size = 250
, caption = Al-Azhar University portal
, motto =
, established =
*970/972 first foundat ...
,
Ban Ki-Moon
Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Minister ...
(Secretary General of the United Nations),
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (Secretary General of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived from ...
),
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
(British Prime Minister),
Nick Clegg
Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British media executive and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who has been president for global affairs at Meta Platforms since 2022, having previously been vicepr ...
(British Deputy Prime Minister),
Rowan Williams
Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet. He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held from December 2002 to December 2012. Previously the Bish ...
(Archbishop of Canterbury) and others. On 30 November 2011, Qadri delivered a lecture at the "Peaceful Future of Afghanistan" conference in Istanbul, Turkey which was organised by the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution of
George Mason University
George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
together with
Marmara University
Marmara University ( Turkish: ''Marmara Üniversitesi'') is a public university in Istanbul, Turkey.
The university is named after the Sea of Marmara and was founded as a university in 1982. However, it was created in 1883 under the name of ''H ...
and was attended by more than 120 Afghan leaders.
On 22 February 2012, Qadri visited Delhi for a four-week tour of India.
Qadri delivered a message of peace and said: "Terrorism has no place in Islam", while addressing the fatwa book launch in Delhi. People gathered to listen to Qadri along with government officials in Gujarat.
Qadri also urged the Pakistani and Indian governments to reduce their defence expenditures and instead spend money on the welfare of poor people. He also visited
Ajmer
Ajmer is one of the major and oldest cities in the Indian state of Rajasthan and the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District. It is located at the centre of Rajasthan. It is also known as heart of Rajasthan. The city was established as "''Aj ...
, where he was given a large reception, at which he gave a lecture on
Sufism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
.
On 4 January 2015, he declared terrorism as biggest problem of the world.
Fatwa on Terrorism
The ''
Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings'' is a 600-page (Urdu version), 512-page (English version) is an Islamic decree by Qadri which demonstrates from the Quran and Sunnah that terrorism and suicide bombings are unjust and evil, and thus un-Islamic. It was published in London as a book. This
fatwa
A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist i ...
is a direct refutation of the ideology of
al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
and the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
. It is one of the most extensive Islamic anti-terrorism rulings, an "absolute" condemnation of terrorism without "any excuses or pretexts" which goes further than ever and declares that terrorism is
kufr
Kafir ( ar, كافر '; plural ', ' or '; feminine '; feminine plural ' or ') is an Arabic and Islamic term which, in the Islamic tradition, refers to a person who disbelieves in God as per Islam, or denies his authority, or rejects ...
under
Islamic law
Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...
. The launch was organised by
Minhaj-ul-Quran UK
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
. Qadri said during the launch that "Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence and it has no place in Islamic teaching and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses or ifs or buts."
The fatwa received widespread media attention and was positively covered by the international press.
According to CNN, experts see the fatwa as a significant blow to terrorist recruiting. CNN's
Amanpour
''Amanpour'' (stylized as ''Amanpour.'') is a global affairs interview television program hosted by British-Iranian journalist Christiane Amanpour, airing weeknights
6pm GMT/ 1pm ET & 7PM CET on CNN International.
The program is also aired on ...
show added the fatwa summary to its website and declared it to be fatwa for peace, while the
US State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...
declares the fatwa to be significant step in taking Islam back from terrorists.
Before it had been released,
Douglas Murray described the Fatwa on Terrorism, in an article in the ''
Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
'', as "potentially important", although he said "A single-fatwa will not change the level of denial and self criticism inherent in so much of modern Islam".
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
news channel questioned the credibility of the fatwa and asks if it was not by the
British government
ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd
, image = HM Government logo.svg
, image_size = 220px
, image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
, image_size2 = 180px
, caption = Royal Arms
, date_es ...
because senior
counter-terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
officials from
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
and
MI5
The Security Service, also known as MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Go ...
were present at the launch.
The 512-page English book version of the fatwa, ''Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings'', (London: Minhaj-ul-Quran, 2011. ) has a foreword by
John Esposito
John Louis Esposito (born May 19, 1940) is an Italian-American academic, professor of Middle Eastern and religious studies, and scholar of Islamic studies, who serves as Professor of Religion, International Affairs, and Islamic Studies at Geor ...
and an introduction by
Joel Hayward
Joel Hayward (born 1964) is a New Zealand-born British scholar, writer and poet. The daily newspaper '' Al Khaleej'' called Hayward "a world authority on international conflict and strategy". '' The National'' newspaper called Hayward "eminent" ...
, both of whom share Qadri's scholarly assessment that, regardless of any intention, the evil of terrorism remains evil and must be exposed, opposed and condemned. It also has a certification from the Islamic Research Council of
Al-Azhar
Al-Azhar Mosque ( ar, الجامع الأزهر, al-Jāmiʿ al-ʾAzhar, lit=The Resplendent Congregational Mosque, arz, جامع الأزهر, Gāmiʿ el-ʾazhar), known in Egypt simply as al-Azhar, is a mosque in Cairo, Egypt in the historic ...
, Egypt issued on 9 January 2011.
The ''Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings'' has been officially endorsed by
Al-Azhar University
, image = جامعة_الأزهر_بالقاهرة.jpg
, image_size = 250
, caption = Al-Azhar University portal
, motto =
, established =
*970/972 first foundat ...
in Cairo, Egypt. In January 2011, the fatwa was discussed at the
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
Annual Meeting 2011. In June 2011,
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
received a copy of the fatwa from representatives of Minhaj Interfaith Relations. The Pope reportedly appreciated that it promoted peace, harmony and interfaith dialogue.
The ''Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings'' was reviewed positively by Kemal Argon who published a review in the ''Journal of Rotterdam Islamic and Social Sciences'', Vol. 2, No. 1, 2011, pp. 149–160. Islamic University of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Invitation to OIC
On 7 April 2019, Qadri addressed scholars at the
OIC meeting in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
and presented Minhaj-ul-Quran's Counter Terrorism Syllabus.
Views
According to one newspaper pundit, the legal-theological opinion by Qadri in his fatwa on terrorism creates an impression that there is a consensus in Islam on the
Khawarij
The Kharijites (, singular ), also called al-Shurat (), were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the ...
. Think Magazine (World Religions) cited Dr. Tahir ul Qadri as providing a competing vision of Islam against that of
Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was a Saudi-born extremist militant who founded al-Qaeda and served as its leader from 1988 until Killing of Osama bin Laden, his death in 2011. Ideologically a Pan-Islamism ...
. In November 2017,
Mandla Mandela
Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela, MP (born 21 June 1974) is the tribal chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council and the grandson of Nelson Mandela. He graduated from Rhodes University with a degree in Politics in 2007.
Succession to the chieftaincy
...
(the grandson of South African revolutionary leader
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
) visited Pakistan after his conversion to Islam in 2016. He arrived in Pakistan on Tahir ul Qadri's invitation to attend ''Tajdar-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Conference'' in Pakistan.
Works
![Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism for Clerics, Imams and Teachers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Islamic_Curriculum_on_Peace_and_Counter-Terrorism_for_Clerics%2C_Imams_and_Teachers.jpg)
He has authored 1000 works
out of which 550 are published books, including an "eight-volume, 7,000-page Qur’anic Encyclopaedia in English covering all 6,000-plus verses of the Koran." He has delivered over 6000 lectures and has been teaching subjects such as Islamic jurisprudence, theology, sufism, Islamic philosophy, law, Islamic politics, hadith, seerah, and many other traditional sciences.
His works include:
*''Islamic Concept of Crime'' (1985)
*''Islamic Concept of Law'' (1987)
*''Islam and Christianity'' (1999)
*''Peace & Submission'' (2011)
*''Muhammad the Merciful'' (2014)
*''Fatwa on Suicide Bombings and Terrorism'' (2014) translated by Shaykh Abdul Aziz Dabbagh
*''Islam on Mercy and Compassion'' (2014)
*''Creation of Man - A Review of Qur'an and Modern Embryology'' (2017)
*''Beseeching for Help (Istighathah)''
published by
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
On-Demand Publishing, LLC, doing business as CreateSpace, is a self-publishing service owned by Amazon. The company was founded in 2000 in South Carolina as BookSurge and was acquired by Amazon in 2005.
History
CreateSpace publishes books conta ...
in 2017
See also
*
Minhaj-ul-Quran International
Minhaj-ul-Quran International ( ur, ) (or MQI) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Shaykh-ul-Islam Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Its headquarters is based in Lahore, Pakistan and has branches ...
*
The Amman Message
The Amman Message ( ar, رسالة عمان) is a statement calling for tolerance and unity in the Muslim world that was issued on 9 November 2004 (27th of Ramadan 1425 AH) by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan.[Contemporary Islamic philosophy
Contemporary Islamic philosophy revives some of the trends of medieval Islamic philosophy, notably the tension between Mutazilite and Asharite views of ethics in science and law, and the duty of Muslims and role of Islam in the sociology of kno ...]
*
*
Minhaj Welfare Foundation
Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF) is a non-governmental organisation, non-governmental international relief and welfare organisation and a branch of Minhaj-ul-Quran International. It was founded on 17 October 1989 by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, and re ...
*
Minhaj University
References
External links
A Profile of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadriby ''Minhaj-ul-Quran International''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qadri, Muhammad Tahir
1951 births
Living people
People from Jhang District
Naturalized citizens of Canada
Pakistani emigrants to Canada
Islamic philosophers
Muslim reformers
Pakistani Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam
21st-century Muslim scholars of Islam
Pakistan Awami Tehreek politicians
Pakistani translators
Translators of the Quran into English
University of the Punjab faculty
Minhaj-ul-Quran
University of the Punjab alumni
Barelvis
Pakistani MNAs 2002–2007
Islamic television preachers
Canadian academics of Pakistani descent
Canadian Muslims
Muslim writers
Pakistani religious writers
Canadian religious writers
21st-century translators